... as opposed to owning but never use.

First, the GPS. Nikon makes a GPS unit you attach to your camera body, but it: is expensive, sits in the flash shoe on top of the camera, is connected to the camera through a very fragile cord. In other words, you probably won't leave it on your camera and if you do, like I did, you have to be extra careful taking the camera out of its bag and whatever you do the cord will likely fray at plug connection. The cord is outrageously expensive to replace. You can sort of hook it up off the flash shoe (hey, you might want to use a flash!) but it's not satisfactory. I'm speaking from experience here.

So I looked around and found one that has no cord, sits on the front of camera on the 10-pin connector, and you can leave it there. It's also cheaper than the Nikon version (but what isn't?). This is a major improvement over the Nikon product, and fits on any of the Nikon bodies with 10-pin connections D700, D800, D3, D4, D5, D300, D500, etc.

Dawn GPS on my Nikon D810:





This isn't a product review, since I haven't had it long, but it does pick up satellites faster than the Nikon unit. I wouldn't call it Leica quality build (I got it from a Hong Kong source) but the connection is screwed-in and I think it will hold. Their publicity claims it draws less battery power than all other maker's GPS units.



Another gadget I actually use is identifier lens caps. You just switch the original lens caps for the ones with your lens focal length inscribed as well as a few other things if you want. If you've got a bunch of lenses it is very difficult to tell which is which when they're in the bag.




If you have too few lenses then this might not make a lot of sense, but it works for me. I got them from an outfit called LenzBuddy in Dallas. They will put pretty much whatever you want on them, including logos, etc.


I mentioned somewhere that I put filters in my bag. Usually just two, a Circular Polarizer and a Neutral Density, but I've got lenses with a 77mm thread diameter and others with a 67mm thread diameter. I use filter stack caps, with a step-up ring in the middle to keep them all together. Hate rummaging around in the bag to find filters and not be able to see exactly which one and what size they are. But if I were to advise someone on what to do I would say "buy the largest size you need (probably a 77mm) and then just use step-up rings when you want to put it on a smaller size lens thread". Filters are expensive, step-up rings are cheap. Don't go too cheap on the step-up rings, brass threads are best.




With stack caps you just screw all your filters together, then put one protective cap on the female thread end and one protective cap on the male thread end of your stack.




If things are a pain to sort, to carry and to find then you probably won't have them with you.

Wink,

Been out of the loop for a while. From your accessories comments, I note that you must have popped for the new Nikon 105mm f1.4E lens.

Congratulations. How about a few photos using it.

I'm still mulling over the Sigma 18 - 35 lens. Haven't yet decided which way to go.

TT

Tom,

The weather has been atrocious the last few weeks here, not very conducive to subjects made for the 105mm (my wife doesn't like standing around in 60kmh wind with her hair blowing all over the place for a picture). But I will get around to it and post a few. But I can tell you, it's a great lens. And as you can see, it's neither little nor light weight.

Sure can't say that I blame your wife. I can imagine what my red headed Irish lass would tell me I can do with the camera if I suggested such a thing in that sort of weather. Arizona is having a run of magnificent weather, warm sunny days in the low to mid 70's with cool nights. That's a major reason I chose to hang my hat here.

Everything I've read about the lens has been rave reviews. I'll look forward to seeing your handiwork with it.

TT

Then of course there is the WhiBal card, indispensable for me. One way to use it is to have the model hold it next to his/her face when taking the picture, like this:



Shooting a RAW file of course, when you are in post-processing you just click on the white balance selector and pick the card and get this:



Indoor mixed lighting sources is where it really helps, but I also use it outdoors, just holding it out into the light:



The newer cameras do a much better job of automatic white balance than my old D700 (which fails miserably indoors in mixed lighting or fluorescent sources), but I still like to use the old cameras.